A Team Lotus crew member putting together their race car in the pits at the Sepang Racing Circuit yesterday. — Picture by OSMAN ADNAN

AS expectations of an improved performance continue to build up, Team Lotus drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli remain confident they will have a good outing at the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend.

Team Lotus, who received new engines from Renault and gearbox from Red Bull for the new season, are expected to push for the middle of the field this year but were hampered with power steering and radiator problems at the season opener in Melbourne which saw Kovalainen not finishing the race and Trulli managing 13th place out of 14 finishers.

Kovalainen said he was looking forward to competing at Sepang and did not feel pressured to perform well at the team's home race.

"This is a big race for us being on home soil and we are looking to get everything we can out of the car which we were not able to do in Melbourne," said Kovalainen.

"I don't feel any pressure to race here due to the fact that we are well prepared, focused and set-up for a good weekend. The problems which we faced in Melbourne have been fixed and should not recur which will hopefully allow us to do well.

"The huge fan base we have here is also something we take positively. Rather than think of it as more pressure, it actually feels good to know we have their support," added Kovalainen.

Both drivers said they were aware of the possibility of heavy rain during the weekend and were prepared to face the worst.

"Sepang is a very challenging track technically and also in terms of weather. It is very hot and humid here and we both know from past races that when it rains it will be very heavy," said Trulli.

T-Team's Norfarhan Mohamed (left) is challenged by Kelantan's Nurul Azwan Roya in their Super League match in Kuala Terengganu on Tuesday. T-Team won 4-3. — Picture by Rozainah Zakaria

FIRST Sabah, then Kelantan and now T-Team will be aiming to bring down current league leaders Selangor when they travel to Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday.

"We have to strike while the iron is hot," said coach Yunus Alif after watching his side edge Kelantan 4-3 at Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium in Kuala Terengganu on Tuesday.

Delighted with the hard-fought victory and happy with the vote of confidence the management has given to keep him as head coach, Yunus said the game against Selangor could not have come at a better time.

"The morale in our camp is at an all time high after the two consecutive wins and for the first time in a long time, all of our key players are fit to play," said Yunus.

"Dead-ball specialist Zairo Anuar Zailani, who was side-lined for more than a month due to a knee injury, came back brilliantly to score with free kicks against Sabah and Kelantan."

The midfielder's return gives Yunus an option of re-deploying captain Rosdi Talib to the left-back position, allowing Norfazly Alias to play his preferred central defensive role.

"Goalkeeper Syamsuri Mustaffa is back to his best fitness-wise and striker Haris Safwan Mohd Kamal has also come back strong, scoring twice in two games," said Yunus.

"It is certainly good to know our strikers are scoring again. I am happy for Norfarhan who scored his first goal of the season against Sabah and another in the Kelantan match."

Meanwhile, manager Rozi Mamat confirmed that team members will receive instant bonuses for winning matches.

"We paid the players RM500 each for beating Sabah and they will get RM1,000 each for the spirited win against Kelantan," said Rozi

"Chances are the amount will be even bigger should they beat Selangor on Saturday."